Rabat on a roll heading to Austin

Tito Rabat is looking to continue his best ever start to a MotoGP season in Austin this weekend.

After a 15th place on his Reale Avintia Ducati debut in Qatar, Rabat celebrated a career-best seventh, from fourth on the grid, in Argentina.

“I’m very happy with the way we’ve started the World Championship and I’m extra motivated for the third race of the year in Texas," said Rabat, who uses a 2017 spec Desmosedici.

"Austin is a track that I like a lot, has fast, slow curves, straights, hard braking areas and to be honest, it will be a great challenge for me, because the last two years in MotoGP were not very good for me, but I’m confident that with my Ducati I will be much more competitive.

"We must continue with our feet on the ground and with the same motivation."

Rookie team-mate Xavier Simeon will continue his quest for points after 21st place in the opening rounds, on the two-year-old GP16 machine.

“I arrive in Austin very motivated and eager for the weekend. It’s a track that in the past has always been good for me, but with the Ducati in MotoGP it will be very different," said the Belgian.

"The weekend in Argentina was always better and better and I want to continue in the same line to improve, be closer and closer to the points zone and take every opportunity to continue learning the secrets of the premier class”.